"This operation ... is not about battling the Taliban. It is about protecting the local population and you don't protect them when you kill them," said British Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. He was saying the Marjah operation suffered a setback when a NATO missile killed 12 civilians.

"I understand the reason behind it, but it's so hard to fight a war
like this," said Lance Corp. Travis Anderson, 20, from Altoona, Iowa.
"They're using our rules of engagement
against us," he said, stating that his platoon had repeatedly seen men
dropping their guns into ditches before walking away to melt among
civilians.